Visiting speaker on Sunday was Colin Evans from The Haven Evangelical Church in Pembroke. He mentioned about the different choices of popular songs currently being played at people's funerals - "I did it my way" being a top selection. He made the point that sometimes doing it our way doesn't work, as we can see from the society we live in, with the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Europe, and debt and crime on the increase. It's always best to follow God's ways and go by the guidelines He has set down for our protection and blessing.

He emphasised the need for Christians to read and study the Bible diligently so that we know what it says about matters and can tell others too. He spoke about discovering and developing the gifts which God has given us to serve Him and the church effectively. God has given all of us gifts, and we each need to find out what we are good at and what we can do. God usually uses our natural abilities and giftings - He doesn't usually put a square peg into a round hole!

Many of us procrastinate, putting off doing things till another time. Similarly many people put off serving God in church - some are not sure what to do or are fearful of doing it wrong. But it's good to find something that you can do and just do it, because "Your church needs you!"

1 Peter 4v10 says: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." We should be a blessing to others in the church with our ministry to them. It also brings praise and glory to God when we serve Him.

Our motivation for serving in the church needs to be right. Some people do it because they want to be seen to be doing something, or enjoy standing at the front, or are insecure and have a need to feel wanted, etc. We should be doing things as God calls us to do them.

Matthew 7v21-23 warns us of the importance of serving out of a real relationship with Jesus Christ. 

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'  Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from me, you evil-doers!'"

In Matthew 25v14-30, Jesus tells the story of the man who gave his servants talents (a form of money) to put to good use while he went on a journey. When he returned he rewarded his servants according to what they had done with them. We shouldn't be like the lazy servant who buried his talent in the ground and didn't do anything with it - we should be using the gifts God has given us to our full potential. We need to find, use, develop and even multiply our gifts, and not miss the opportunity to be of use to God and the church.

All are welcome to the Sunday services at 10.15 am (there is no evening meeting this Sunday). The website is emmanuelgospelministries.org.